Feet for luggage



July 21, 1959 KQFFLER 2,895,574

' FEET FOR LUGGAGE I Filed Sept; 17, 1957 FIG. I

. INVENTOR:

SOL KOFFLER ATT'YS FEET FOR LUGGAGE Sol Kofier, Providence, RI.

Application September 17, 1957, Serial No. 684,606

7 Claims. (Cl. Mil-37) This invention relates to feet or supports for luggage to support the luggage a predetermined distance above the ground to not interfere with the bottom hinges and to prevent the bottom of the luggage to come in 'contact with wet or greasy surfaces, such as are usually encountered in railroad stations.

The invention comprises in general feet or supports for luggage which are arranged at the four corners of the luggage adjacent their outer sides and outer ends, and each foot comprises a lower tapered section having a hole extending therethrough for attachment to the luggage by any convenient attaching means, such as a rivet. Each foot is-so constructed as to accommodate itself to the normal shape and contour to which it is to be applied, and a circumferential lip or peripheral rim is formed at its attaching surface to effect a tight seal between the foot and the botom surface of the luggage when the feet are applied. Each foot is provided with a longitudinal slot or groove to receive an oramental bead, beading or welting, whereby shifting of the foot is prevented even though there is only one attaching rivet employed, and such head is protected from wear. A slot or groove is arranged near, or adjacent, one side of each foot so as to be free and clear of the operating hinge at the bottom of the luggage while the opposed side is relatively broad to effect a substantial contacting surface for the engagement of the foot to the exterior bottom surface of the luggage. Each foot may be made of any material, but it has been found convenient, desirable and economical to mold the feet of a plastic material.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved luggage foot of an unique design so that all feet are identical and, therefore, may be cast from a single mold, and then applied easily and quickly about an ornamental beading or welting and held in fixed immovable position by merely attaching each foot to the bottom of the luggage by means of a single fastening element such as a rivet.

Another important object of the invention resides in the provision of a new and improved foot for luggage whereby there is provided an elongated groove along one side edge to receive the beading or welting, the material of the foot lying beyond the groove at one side being relatively narrow to prevent interference with the bottom hinges and being relatively thickened on the other side of the groove to receive the fastening member and to form a stable and solid support and foundation for each foot.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of luggage feet which are so constructed and arranged to provide a single shape and size to be used for all four feet, to permit easy application of each foot to the luggage by the use of a single fastening member, there being a groove provided entirely longitudinally across the foot at the contacting surface of the luggage to receive the ornamental bead or welting to prevent shifting of a foot and still permit full and solid contact of each atent 2,895,574 Patented July 21, 1959 foot with the luggage by a single fastening member, such as a rivet.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent throughout the progress of the specification which is to follow.

The particular foot structure herein illustrated is shown as being applied to a piece of luggage which is known by the well-known trade name of Tri-Taper and embodying the design disclosed generally in Design Patent No. 179,016 issued October 23, 1956.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a certain selected embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a detail perspective view of a piece of luggage and embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail enlarged sectional View on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail enlarged horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the feet, looking downwardly on the feet; and

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a foot showing the bottom and inner exterior surface thereof.

The luggage comprises a body 1 which has its sides sloping upwardly and inwardly from the bottom, and its ends sloping upwardly and inwardly. The dimension across the top is less than the dimension across the bottom, and the top tapers downwardly from the center of the top towards its ends.

The luggage is herein shown as being of the molded type and includes a bottom 2, opposed sides or walls 3, 3, opposed ends 4, 4 and a top 5. comprises a lid 6 which is secured to the other part of the body by means of hinges 7 secured respectively to the lid 6 and to the bottom 2. The joint between the lid and the main part of the body of the luggage is covered by a stainless steel encircling band 8 which includes a peripheral groove to receive a corresponding projecting lip on the adjacent edge of the lid. Feet 9 are fastened to the bottom, there being four of such feet shown, one for each of the four corners of the piece of luggage. The feet are located inwardly of the sides 4 and inwardly of the ends 3.

Each foot 9, Fig. 4, comprises an elongated body comprising a homogeneous plastic mass having a flat bottom 10, an outer tapered exterior wall 11 and an inside wall 12 which includes an inclined tapered part 13 extending upwardly from the bottom 10 and terminating into a relatively straight part 14 at its upper end. Each foot 9 is provided with an elongated groove 15 located at, or near, one side of the center of the foot, leaving a relatively thin edge '16 at one side, and a relatively thickened part 17 at the other side. The thin section 16 is located adjacent a hinge 7 so as not to interfere with the proper operation of the hinge, and the groove 15 is of such a width and depth as to receive an ornamental bead, beading or welting 18, 18 which extends completely around the outer surfaces of the luggage, as shown more particularly in Fig. l.

The beading or welting 18 may comprise a relatively flexible plastic strip which is secured around the body of the luggage near the outer sides 3, 3 and about the top 5, ends 4 and bottom 2, being secured in place by stitching 19, Fig. 3. The upper side of each foot 9 is slightly dished, as indicated at 20, Fig. 4, to leave a peripheral rim 21 so that the feet 9, when secured to the bottom 2, will provide for a slight resiliency or give to the foot about its periphery and cause the outer peripheral edges or rim 21 to fit tightly and snugly against the bottom 2. Each foot 9 has a hole 22, Figs. 2 to 5, extending vertically therethrough, the hole 22 being preferably twobored to provide an enlarged opening part 23 for the One of the sides 3* reception of the head 24 of a fastening member 25, such as a rivet. The smaller diameter of the hole 22 receives the shank 26 of the fastening member 25, which in the present instance is shown as being a rivet, the rivet being clinched over, as indicated at 27, on the inside of the luggage.

The invention, therefore, comprises feet for luggage which may be exceedingly economically manufactured from a single mold, which canbe easily and readily applied, and prevented from turning even though each foot is secured in place by only a single fastening member, the feet also receiving the ornamental beading or welting so as to protect the same from wear at the bottom of the piece of luggage.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fall fairly within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A foot for application to a piece of luggage having a bead on the surface to which the foot is applied and comprising a foot body having a bottom supporting end, a peripheral rim about the upper surface of the body adapted to fit snugly and tightly against the bottom of the luggage, the upper surface of said foot having a longitudinal groove formed therein to receive said bead and the sides of said groove being adapted to engage said bead to keep said foot from turning.

2. A foot for application to a piece of luggage having lid hinges on its bottom and a bead extending about the luggage, said foot comprising a'one piece molded body having a longitudinal groove formed in its upper surface to receive said bead, a peripheral rim extending about the top of the body and fitting tightly against the bottom of the luggage, said foot having a relatively flat bottom and inclined outwardly and upwardly toward the top on at least one side and the ends of the body, one side of the foot being inclined upwardly and outwardly and terminating into a straight portion to form a relatively thin edge located toward a hinge, the upper surface of the foot being dished to form said rim, and a single fastening member passing through the foot substantially centrally thereof and fastened to the bottom of the luggage.

3. In a piece of luggage having a bottom, side and end walls, and a top, and a bead about the luggage, one of said side walls forming a lid hinged to the bottom of the luggage, the combination of feet secured to the bottom surface of the luggage adjacent each of the four corners thereof, each foot comprising a one piece molded plastic body having a relatively fiat bottom, sides tapering upwardly from one side and two ends thereof, the other side tapering upwardly for a predetermined distance and then terminating in a flat surface of relatively narrow dimension, said fiat surface being located adjacent a hinge so as not to interfere with the operation of a hinge, said body having a longitudinal slot formed inwardly of the straight edge to receive'said bead, and fastening means passing through the body and secured to the bottom of the luggage.

4. In a piece of luggage having a bottom, side and end walls, and a top, and a bead about the luggage, one of said side walls forming a lid hinged to the bottom of the luggage, the combination of feet secured to the bottom surface of the luggage adjacent each of the four corners thereof, each foot comprising a one piece molded plastic body having a relatively flat bottom, sides tapering upwardly from one side and two ends thereof, the other side tapering upwardly for a predetermined distance and then terminating in a fiat surface of relatively nanrow dimension, said flat surface being located adjacent a hinge so as not to interfere with the operation of a hinge, said body having a longitudinal slot formed inwardly of the straight edge to receive said bead, and fastening means passing through the body and secured to the bottom of the luggage, the upper surface of each foot being somewhat dished and forming a relatively flexible peripheral rim whereby tightening of the fastening means will cause the outer edges of the foot to fit tightly and snugly against the outer surface of the bottom of the luggage.

5. In a piece of luggage having a bottom, side and end Walls, and a top, and at least one bead about the luggage, one of said side walls forming a lid hinged to the bottom of the luggage, the combination of feet secured to the bottom surface of the bottom adjacent each of the four corners of the luggage piece, each of said feet compris ing a one piece molded plastic body having a relatively fiat bottom, sides tapering upwardly from one side and two ends of the foot bottom, the other side of said foot body tapering upwardly for a predetermined distance and then terminating in a fiat straight vertical surface of relatively narrow dimension, said fiat surface being located adjacent a hinge so as not to interfere with the operation of a hinge, said body having a longitudinal slot formed inwardly of the straight edge to receive said bead, and fastening means passing through the body and secured to the bottom of the luggage, the upper surface of each foot being somewhat dished and forming a relatively flexible peripheral rim whereby securement of the fastening means will cause the outer edges of each foot to fit tightly and snugly against the outer surface of the bottom of the luggage, said body having a two-bore opening vertically therethrough through which the fastening means passes, one bore receiving the head and the other bore receiving the shank of the fastening means, the inner end of the fastening means passing through the luggage bottom and clinched over on the inner surface of the luggage bottom.

6. In a piece of luggage having a bottom, side and end walls, and a top, and a bead extending at least along the bottom of said luggage, the combination of a foot comprising a foot body having a bottom supporting end, a peripheral rim about the upper surface of said foot body fitting snugly and tightly against the bottom of said luggage, means securing said foot to said luggage, the upper surfaces of said foot having a longitudinal groove formed therein to receive said bead and the sides of said groove engaging said bead to resist shifting of said foot.

7. A piece of luggage as claimed in claim 6 wherein there are two parallel beads extending around the luggage and four feet fastened to the bottom of the luggage, two

of said feet each having a groove therein, the sides of which overlap the sides of one of said beads, and the other two of said feet each having a groove therein the sides of which overlap the other of said beads.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,761,233 Roe June 3, 1930 1,999,064 Marks Apr. 23, 1935 2,662,619 Zweigbaum Dec. 15, 1953 

